Light weight bicycle pedal

Abstract

A bicycle pedal is described that is more easy to engage and disengage and that has a hollowed out central section to prevent debris build-up. The bicycle pedal has a pedal body rotatably supported by a pedal shaft wherein the pedal body has planar pedal surfaces and a pivotable clamp member generally perpendicular to the surfaces of the pedal wherein the clamp member comprises a central contact surface and a clamp located at a lengthwise end of the clamp member. The clamp member extends out from a surface plane of the pedal for clamping to a cleat and the clamp also has a slideable guided surface acting in an arc-like way to perform a jaw-like movement. The bicycle pedal also has an urging device disposed against the clamp member such that it contacts a central contact surface of the clamp member and urges the clamp member inwards.

What is claimed:  
     
       1. A bicycle pedal comprising 
       a pedal body rotatably supported by a pedal shaft, the pedal body having planar pedal surfaces;  
       a pivotable clamp member substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of pedal, the clamp member having a lengthwise end which extends out from the planar pedal surface and which comprises  
       a central contact surface and  
       clamping means located at the lengthwise end of the clamp member for clamping to a cleat, the clamping means further providing a slideable guided surface acting to perform a clamping movement; and  
       urging means disposed against the central contact surface of the clamp member for urging the clamp member inwardly so as to engage the cleat, the urging means further comprising means of providing an elastic adjustable pressure against the clamp member further comprising a bridge spring having a central u-shaped portion and inwardly-curving wing portions.  
     
     
       2. A bicycle pedal according to claim  1  wherein the pedal comprises plural pivotable clamp members. 
     
     
       3. A bicycle pedal according to claim  1  wherein the clamp member is a single unit. 
     
     
       4. A bicycle pedal according to claim  1  wherein the pivotable clamp member has an arch-shaped central portion oriented parallel to the pedal surface, the central contact surface is disposed in the center of the arch-shaped central portion. 
     
     
       5. A bicycle pedal according to claim  1  wherein the clamp member comprises clamping means at longitudinal ends of the member such that the clamping means extends from opposite pedal surfaces. 
     
     
       6. A bicycle pedal according to claim  1  wherein the clamping means is notched. 
     
     
       7. A bicycle pedal according to claim  1  further comprising tension adjustment means for adjusting the pivotability of the clamp member. 
     
     
       8. A bicycle pedal according to claim  7  wherein the tension adjustment means comprises one or more tension adjustment screws. 
     
     
       9. A bicycle pedal according to claim  8  wherein there are a plurality of tension adjustment screws which are separately adjustable. 
     
     
       10. A bicycle pedal according to claim  9  wherein the tension adjustment screws separately contact each end of the wing portions of the bridge spring. 
     
     
       11. A bicycle pedal according to claim  8  wherein the tension adjustment screws contact the center portion of the bridge spring. 
     
     
       12. A bicycle pedal comprising 
       a pedal body rotatably supported by a pedal shaft, the pedal body having planar surfaces and comprising  
       a housing;  
       frame members disposed inside the housing, the frame members being oriented parallel to longer ones of the sides of the housing;  
       a plurality of clamp members, at least one of which is pivotable, the clamp members each being a single unit oriented substantial perpendicular to the planar surfaces of the pedal body and having a central contact surface and clamping means located at a lengthwise end of the clamp member, the clamping member extending outwardly from a surface plane of the pedal surface, the clamping means further providing a central contact surface and the clamping means providing a slideable guided surface acting to perform a clamping movement;  
       urging means disposed against the clamp member to contact the central contact surface of the clamp member for urging the clamp member inward, wherein the urging means comprises a shaped bridge spring comprising a deep central u-shaped portion and downwardly-arching inwardly-tapering wing portions; and  
       a tension adjustment mechanism comprising one or more separately adjustable tension adjustment screws adjusting the tension of the urging means.  
     
     
       13. A bicycle pedal according to claim  12  wherein the housing is plastic. 
     
     
       14. A bicycle pedal according to claim  12  wherein the housing is metal.